Duck River Mussel Recovery Plan

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Duck River Mussel Recovery Plan

• Duck River Agency
• Tennessee Aquarium Research Institute
• The Nature Conservancys Duck River Field Office
• TTU CO-OP Fish Unit
• TWRA
• TVA
• USFWS Ashville Cookeville
• USGS BRD WRD
• VT CO-OP Fish Unit

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Why the Duck River?

• Flows 300 miles westerly across Eastern Highland
  Rim, Nashville Basin and Western Highland Rim in
  TN, draining 3,127 miles2.
• Normandy Reservoir is 17 miles long with the dam
  located at mile 250.
• 6 of 25 mill dams remain intact.
• Extant Biological Diversity gt 500 aquatic sp.
  including 140 fish sp., 55 mussel sp., 22 snail
  sp.
• As many as 74 mussel species historically
  occurred in the Duck River.

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2004 Survey Report

• Study Objectives
• 1) Qualitative mussel survey of the main stem
  selected tributaries.
• 2) Quantitative re-survey at TVA 1979 1988
  sites.
• 3) Assemble historical database to examine
  species distribution and composition changes
  since 1880s.
• 4) Examine river management alterations that may
  or affect mussel populations.

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2004 Survey Report

• Field surveys conducted 2000-03.
• 112 qualitative sites, including SCUBA, or Hookah
  search of some pools.
• Mean CPUE for species richness and density
  determined across 21 sites common to 1988 and
  2004 studies.

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2004 Survey Report

• 4 fixed-station quantitative sites selected for
  long term monitoring.
• Tarpley Bluff, DRM207.3
• Lillard Mill, DRM179
• Venable Spring, DRM176.8
• Hooper Island, DRM163.1

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2004 Survey Report Results
So how did the river measure up?

• Qualitative survey mean CPUE s species
  richness indicated significant (4 fold) increases
  since 1988.
• Quantitative data indicates gt 15 increase in
  density and species richness for all sites.

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2004 Survey Report Results
Juveniles were abundant at many sites!

• Juvenile mussel distribution study at Hooper
  Island - Id importance of channel margins as
  juvenile mussel habitat.
• TVAs RRI at Normandy Dam increased habitat
  available for mussel colonization demonstrates
  possibilities for other tail waters.

Like the Elk?
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2004 Survey Report Results

• 53 mussel species documented extant 2 more
  added since 2004 study 55.
• TVA added Sheepnose (Plethobasus cyphus).
• Auburn Univ. added Salamander Mussel (Simpsonaias
  ambugia).
• 74 mussel species were found in Duck River
  historical records including 16 federally listed
  TE mussel species, 6 presumed extinct.

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Take Home Message

• Recovery of mussel resources in the Duck River
  as reported here is unprecedented. We are aware
  of no other river system that has shown this
  dramatic improvement in mussel resources.
• Populations are surging and it is time to act.

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Duck River Mussel Augmentation Reintroduction
Plan

• Includes prioritizations, status reviews, and
  recommendations for 74 mussel species.
• Proposed actions include
• a) maintain expanding populations of 3 federally
  listed mussels (Epioblasma sp. cf. capsaeformis,
  Lemiox rimosus, Quadrula intermedia).
• b) augment populations of non-listed mussels.
• c) reintroduce 11 extirpated listed mussel
  species.

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Duck River Mussel Augmentation Reintroduction
Plan

• These proposed actions for federally listed
  mussels are consistent with the purposes of the
  1973 ESA, and are identified as specific tasks in
  the USFWSs species recovery plans.
• Establishing new populations in historical
  habitats like the Duck River are a major hurdle
  toward recovery and delisting.

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Duck River Mussel Augmentation Reintroduction
Plan

• Objective maintain current mussel habitat
  improve mussels resources by active management.
• Habitat accomplished through continuation of
  TVAs RRI program.
• Improvements to Shelbyville WWTP other point
  sources in system.
• TNC projects protect WQ restore the riparian
  corridor along river main stem tributaries like
  Big Rock Creek.
• TWRA TNC have been active in the watershed
  with the LIP program.

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Duck River Mussel Augmentation Reintroduction
Plan

• Mussel resources improvements will be achieved
  via species reintroductions augmentations
  utilizing juvenile propagation and adult
  translocations.
• Federally listed reintroduced species will be
  placed only in habitats with extant populations
  of other federally listed mussels to avoid
  additional regulatory burden.

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Duck River Mussel Augmentation Reintroduction
Plan
Mind your genetic stocks or else!

• Genetic Integrity will be protected by following
  basic procedures
• Use gt10 females during propagation where
  possible.
• Use Duck River Stock where possible.
• Donor population preference order 1)from same
  physiographic province, 2) adjacent physiographic
  province, 3) only viable source.

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Duck River Mussel Augmentation Reintroduction
Plan

• Recent translocations of non-listed species
  continued since 2004.
• 630 Clinch River Fluted Kidneyshell to two sites
  on the Duck.
• 284 Clinch River Fluted Kidneyshell, 201
  Cumberland Moccasinshell, 97 Pheasantshell to
  one site on the Nolichucky.

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Duck River Mussel Augmentation Reintroduction
Plan

• Monitoring Progress as always, we will depend
  on partnerships for funding and support during
  this long process.
• Vision Statement We must transition from
  monitoring the status quo and move into active
  management of species populations if we hope to
  achieve faunal recovery.

Were going to be here awhile!